The Guardian
by tnaps4
Summary: Haley James-Jagielski's life is slowly spiraling down. She has to choose between two men who seem so perfect, but one is hiding a dark secret that may just get her killed...
1. Chapter 1

Haley James-Jagielski: 24 years old, widower, works in a hair salon, feels an attraction to both Damien West and Nathan Scott

Nathan Scott: 26 years old, Jake's best friend, mechanic in New Bern, has been in love with Haley for years, even when his best friend was married to her.

Damien West: 26 years old, rich, new man in town, is infatuated with Haley from the moment he sees her.

Haley James-Jagielski lives in the small town of New Bern, North Carolina, where everyone knows everything about everyone else. Haley was happily married to Jake Jagielski until a horrific accident put an end to their marriage, and to Jake's life. Haley soon receives a package from Jake that explains she must move on with her life with the help of their dog. So with their dog, Henry, by her side, she has to move on from Jake and continue living her life, whether that be with the new rich man in town, Damien West, or with Jake's best friend, Nathan Scott. Who will she choose? Will she make the right choice?


	2. Chapter 2

Thank for the reviews so far!

Chapter 1

It had been a week since Haley James-Jagielski found the package from her deceased husband. It had only been two months since Jake's death and Haley could barely muster up the strength to pull herself out of bed and go to work, let alone move to a new man, which is exactly what Jake wants for her.

She begins her day with a routine she had come accustomed to since Jake died. She gets up out of bed, jumps in the shower, throws on some clothes, but doesn't even bother with her hair or some make-up, and sullenly walks into her kitchen. Their dog, Henry, stands up and trots towards Haley, through all of her hard times Henry has been the biggest help in moving on. She feeds him, doesn't bother getting herself food and heads out the door for work.

Karen Roe has known Haley all her life, but through Haley's twenty-four years, she has never seen Haley so broken and lost as she has been since the accident. Karen knew that she has to find some way to help Haley. Her thoughts were soon broken as the bell on the door to her hair salon rang. Walking in was Haley with the same stoic face expression she has had for the past two months. Karen had given Haley this job as soon as Haley finished college, knowing Haley would need some sort of income. Once Jake died, Karen also gave Haley a job at her bar Tric, since she would now need even more money to pay for the house and other things that Jake had had a big part in paying for.

Karen was also very upset about the accident because she saw Jake as a son as soon as he saw how he treated Haley, someone who was like a daughter to her. Karen knew from the moment that Haley and Jake had met, when they were only seven years old, that they would end up together. She remembered how persistent Jake was on getting Haley to go out with him but for years, Haley broke the poor boy's heart.

Flashback

_A seven-year-old Haley was playing with her Barbie's when two boys ran past her knocking her over. Tears immediately started falling out of the young girl's eyes and both boys ran over to her._

"_I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" A young boy with raven black hair and piercing blue eyes asked the crying girl._

"_Um, yeah, I-I'm okay." The young girl timidly said. Even at seven, she knew this boy was gorgeous and could already tell she had a bit of a crush on him._

"_I'm Nathan." The boy said._

"_H-Haley." She responded. "W-who's that?" She pointed to the other boy standing next to Nathan, who was also very cute, with his shaggy brown hair and hazel eyes._

"_I'm Jake." He said as he smiled and stuck out his hand for her to shake. Jake hadn't said too much yet because the beauty of the girl mesmerized him. Working up the courage he asked if she wanted to join them for a fun day in the park._

"_I-I guess that w-would be o-okay." Haley said with a small smile to both boys. She was excited she was going to be able to get to know the boy she had a crush on._

_End Flashback_

Jake had loved Haley ever since that day in the park, but Haley was in love with his best friend, Nathan, until she thought that she would never have a chance with him, so she accepted a date with Jake in their sophomore year of high school. Soon after their first date Haley began to feel the same way about Jake as he felt about her. Many envied their young love, but nothing was able to tear them apart.

They both went to the University of North Carolina, along with Nathan. After their freshman year of college Jake proposed.

_Flashback_

_Haley and Jake were walking through the same park in Tree Hill that they had met at twelve years ago. Haley could tell that Jake was extremely nervous about something, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Jake pulled her back to stop walking at the exact spot that he had knocked her down in when they were only seven years old._

"_What's wrong?" Haley asked nervously, fearing that Jake was breaking up with her. At that moment Jake got down on one knee and Haley gasped with tears already brimming her eyes._

"_Haley, I knocked you down in this spot twelve years ago and saw how hurt you were. I vowed on that day to never make you cry again. I knew in the moment you spoke that I was in love with you and you were the girl for me. After basically begging you to go out on a date with me, you finally said yes. That was the happiest day of my life. I love you so much and you would make me the luckiest guy in the world and make this the happiest day of my life if you would do me the honor of becoming my wife. So Haley James, will you marry me?" Jake could barely finish the question before Haley jumped into his arms and peppered his face with kisses all the way saying yes._

_End Flashback_

They got married when Haley graduated from college. They had only been married three short years until that fateful night, when everything important in Haley's life was taken away from her, and a man that everyone loved was taken from their lives.

**I know it's not very good, but it is my first story. So tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill, even though I wish I did.**

**Here's the next chapter! I hope you like it!**

**Chapter 2**

When Haley had walked into the salon the following day, Karen wasn't there, instead her co-worker Rachel was.

"Hi Rachel. How are you today?" Haley politely asked.

"Fine." Rachel curtly replied.

Rachel Gattina did not like Haley James-Jagielski by any means. Unfortunately for both of them they had to work together…everyday. Rachel just didn't understand why Haley would want to work in a silly little hair salon when she was beautiful, smart, could pretty much have any job she wanted, and oh yeah, how could she forget…Haley even had a teaching degree. Rachel would give anything to have what Haley could have. Plain and simple, Rachel envied her.

The only reason Haley wasn't Rachel's biggest fan was because Haley felt that Rachel didn't respect herself, meaning others didn't respect her either, especially her boyfriends. Haley realized that Rachel didn't really care what people thought about her or how they treather her. Sometimes, that was a good thing, but many times it wasn't. other than that, Haley thought Rachel was a sweet girl, just very naïve. At the young age of nineteen, Rachel worked in both the hair salon and the bar with Haley, haley saw how men treated Rachel and she was just very worried that one of these days, Rachel would put herself in a very dangerous situation.

"Good morning." A tall man with brown hair and brown eyes said as he walked into the salon and directly up to Haley.

"Um, hi. Do I know you?" haley asked.

"Not yet. Hi, I'm Damien West. Im new to town and I was just wondering if sucha a beautiful lady would do me the honor of showing me around town and maybe going out on a date with me?" Damien said.

"Well I can definitely show you around town." Haley replied.

"What about the date?" He asked.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I just- um I can't and I don't even know you," Haley said trying to let him down easy.

"Well this is a chance to get to know each other." He said, not giving up just yet.

"Hey Hales, what's going on here?" Nathan asked walking into the salon, having seen the whole thing through the window. Nathan's garage was right across the street from the salon, so throughout his day he would frequently stop in to say hi. He saw a guy who he had never seen before walk in. Once he saw Haley beginning to look a bit uncomfortable he knew it was his time to step in.

"Nothin Nate. This is Damien, he's new to town." She said.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Damien West." Damien said sticking his hand out for Nathan to shake.

"Nathan Scott. " Nathan replied, shaking Damien's hand.

"So Haley is this why you won't go out with me? Your boyfriend?" Damien asked pointing towards Nathan.

"Uhh, no, h-he was m h-husband's best f-fr-." She couldn't get the whole thing out with out bursting into tears, as she ran to the back. Damien was clueless to what he had done to make her so upset, but didn't dwell on it and just mumbled his apologies and walked out of the salon. Nathan on the other hand, ran into the back to try and console Haley, but she just told him that she was fine and he should get back to work. He felt bad leaving her but he knew when not to push, so he retreated back to the front of the salon and left, making a mental note to go check on Haley later when she was off work.

There's the second chapter! Sorry if it isn't too good, but let me know what will make it better Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the people who reviewed!**

**Mazzy****- Jake just left her a package with a note saying that she needed to move on from him, kind of like in P.S. I love you.**

**Kaya17tj****- your question will be answered in this chapter!**

**Chapter 4**

Nathan had gone to check on Haley at her house immediately after his workday, but Haley didn't want to see anyone, even him. This was very strange because since the day that Jake had died Haley had always been able to talk to Nathan because she felt that he was almost in the same boat as she was. It had been about a week since then and Haley still didn't want to talk about why she all of a sudden broke down at the salon a week earlier and Nathan was beginning to worry.

Nathan watched everyday around ten a.m. how this new guy, Damien West, would walk into Karen's salon like clockwork. The worst part, Damien would actually get Haley to smile and laugh. He saw how everyday Haley would turn Damien down when he asked her out on a date. Nathan had been longing to ask Haley out ever since she was fourteen years old. Then, he hadn't done it because he thought Haley would never have the same feelings for him that he had for her. The other reason, he knew Jake liked her just as much as he did. Back then, he hadn't told Jake of his feelings because he didn't think he was good enough for Haley, and he still didn't, but he knew Jake was. He finally told Jake he had been in love with her for years when Jake told Nathan he was going to propose. Nathan thought back to it now and realized how stupid he was to tell Jake at the time.

_Flahkback_

"_Nate! Guess what I just bought!" Jake said as he ran into Nathan's dorm extremely excited._

"_What?" Nathan questioned. Within seconds Jake had pulled out a small square velvet box. Before Jake even opened it Nathan had a feeling he knew what it was, but prayed he was wrong. He wasn't. Inside the box was a gorgeous princess cut diamond a white gold back surrounded by smaller diamonds._

"_What do you think?" Jake asked, hoping his best friend wouldn't think he was crazy for wanting to propose at such a young age._

"_I'm in love with her!" Nathan blurted out._

"_Who? Peyton?" Jake questioned, thinking Nathan was talking about his girlfriend at the time._

"_No." Nathan answered._

"_Then who?" Jake asked, seriously confused at this point._

"_Haley…" Nathan said so quietly he wasn't even sure if Jake had heard him._

"_I'm sorry. Did I just hear what I think I heard? Because I know for a fact that my BEST FRIEND since I was four would not tell me when I'm about to propose that he is IN LOVE with my girlfriend of four years. This must be some kind of sick joke Nate. Please it has to be!" Jake yelled at Nathan, absolutely fuming._

"_Jake, man, I'm sorry. I'm not going to do anything. I just thought you have the right to kn-" Nathan began, but was cut off by Jake's fist connecting with his jaw._

"_How long?" Jake asked, needing to know._

"_Since she was 14." Nathan whispered._

"_Fuck you Nate!" Jake screamed, as he walked out, slamming Nathan's door behind him._

_End Flashback_

Looking back, Nathan realized how bad the timing was when he told Jake. They had made up the next day when Nathan assured him that he would never do anything to try to get Haley. That day, he also promised Jake that if anything were to ever happen to Jake that Nathan would look after her, and hopefully, Nathan would take Jake's place because Jake would never trust anyone else with Haley's hear. Unfortunately, for Nathan, Damien looked like he was trying to take Jake's spot. The day of Jake's funeral Nathan made a vow to himself and to Jake to help Haley move on when she was ready and at the time he hoped it would be with him. But right now Damien was moving in on the girl of his dreams. And Nathan didn't like it… at all.

There's the next chapter! Please tell me what you think


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